Are we asking the right questions?

Published 12:28 pm, Monday, April 25, 2016

The state FIA plan calls for things such as better training for child welfare workers, recruiting more foster parents in communities where children are removed from their homes, and trying to find absent fathers and help them connect with their children, among other things. The FIA says many of the steps in the plan already are being carried out. All of the new measures should be in place come June.

At the federal level, efforts have been under way to improve foster care across the country. To this end, officials are evaluating agencies like FIA. In Michigan, they found the FIA needed to improve how it protects kids from abuse and finds and makes sure homes are stable.

It's always good to evaluate the processes being used, especially when we're talking about the welfare of children. We're glad to see these improvements being implemented. However, we're also aware that the FIA is responsible for overseeing 19,000 children in foster care alone. Everyone is being asked to do more with less these days, including the FIA. Specifically, those working in the trenches are responsible for more kids than ever as their administrative responsibilities increase as well. Children are our future, and when it comes to protecting them, people are our most important resource. Maybe the bigger questions is, is doing more with less in this arena saving us or really costing us?